Remote NT gets domestic dispute 'cooling off' spaces

Wed 18 Jun 2008, 9:22 AM AEST

Men in remote Northern Territory communities who need to cool down after a domestic dispute now have somewhere to go other than the police station.

Safe house complexes have been set up in 12 remote communities, including Yuendumu, 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs and Finke, south-east of Alice Springs, and are constructed out of modified shipping containers.

They will be used as domestic violence shelters for women, as well as training rooms and 'cooling off' spaces for male perpetrators of family violence.

The project's coordinator, Emma Williams, says she hopes it means women and children will not always have to leave the family home when trouble erupts.

"One of the things that we believe is that where the safety of the victim can be assured it really is preferable to have the perpetrator go from the home, so the victims can stay at home rather than them having to flee," she said.

"The men's cooling off facility is still that role, but I want to make a really clear distinction that these facilities are not places to lock up men."

Malcolm Wall, the chief executive of the Yuendumu community, says he does not think men will choose to go to the safe house voluntarily.

"I think that's probably where there's going to be an issue because night patrol isn't going to be able to grab these people and restrain them, maybe police will be able to use these facilities, I really don't know," he said.